Antique American Indian Beaded Dance Harness

Authentic antique 19th century American Indian (Canadian Plains Cree from Saskatchewan) dance harness composed of black trade silk fabric with twelve rosettes white red and blue glass beads sown to hide discs enclosed by hanging feather attachments. The central panel of the bandoleer is constructed in a geometrical pattern beaded with emerald green and burgundy glass beads on a thick fabric.

The entire sewing was done by hand. These items come from a local Canadian collection of antiques which the owner had purchased many years ago from an estate sale of memorabilia of a Canadian officer who was stationed in the Canadian prairies in the early parts of the 20th century.

Measurements: Max Length 43 inches (109cm), Width 10 ¾ inches (27,3).

A near identical dance harness can be found from the exhibit from the summer of 2004 an exhibition at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Birmingham, England on the Plains Indian art and culture, entitled 'A Warrior I Have Been'. It appears in the catalogue on p. 111

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